Hose-reel for cranes.



Non-718,672.

PATENTED JAN. 20, 190s.' '11. H. SULLINGS. HOSE REEL FOR GRANES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27,1902.

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HENRY H. SULLINGS, OF HUNTINGTON, \VEST' VIRGINIA.

HOSE-REEL FOR CRANES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,672, dated January 20, 1903. Application filed September 27, 1902. Serial No. 125,122. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. SULLINGS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Huntington, county of Oahell, State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hose-Reels for Cranes and the Like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing my invention applied to a Wellknown form of crane in which compressed air is the motive power and the power-cylinder is on the carriage of the crane. Fig. 2 is a detail elevation showing the device for automatically winding up the surplus hose; Figs. 3 and 4, detail sections of the swivel pipecoupling connecting the reel of the hose to the supply-pipe; and Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of the swivel-coupling connecting the crane end of the hose to the inlet-pipe of the crane.

The object of this invention is to provide simple mechanism for properly paying out the hose as the crane moves toward either end of its track and automatically rewinding the hose as the crane moves from either end of the track toward a point about midway the length of the same, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In its preferred form the invention consists of a reel a, journaled ata suitable point above the rails of the crane and at a suitable point, preferably midway, between the opposite ends of the track. Wound on this reel is the supply-hose b, one end of which is passed through an opening in the periphery of the reel and connected to a nipple c of the coupe ling connecting the hose to the stationary supply-pipe d. The nipple c is connected to a tube e, which is nicely fitted on the projecting endf of the reel-shaft, said shaft being hollowed out axially at g, this axial chamber being in constant communication with an annular chamber it, formed interiorly of the tube 6 about midway its ends and in communication with the lateral branch or nipple c by means of a series of radial passages t'. Packing-rings j and glands k, screwed on the ends of tube 2, form stuffing-boxes which prevent the escape of air at the ends of said tube a. This coupling permits the inner end of the hose to revolve with the reel and at all times in communication with the supply-pipe cl, as is evident. The other end of the hose is connected to the inlet-pipe of the cranecylinder by a similar coupling. The hose is connected to nipple Z, which is formed integral-with a tube m, surrounding the perforated horizontal portion n of the inlet-pipe 0, said tube m being internally chambered and having its end portions nicely fitted on said tube n. A cap o is fitted on the end of tube 02, this cap fitting in a socket formed in the end of the tube in and being held therein by means of a screw-cap q. Another screwcap q is screwed on the other end of tube m, and a suitable packing q" may be incased by this cap to form an air-tight joint. With a coupling of this sort it will be observed that the end of the tube will have a swivel-like connection to the supply-tube n.

It will be observed that as the crane moves out toward either end of its track the hose will automatically unwind, and toprevent the hose sagging below the track-beams I journal on posts rising at intervals along the same, above the rails,'supporting rollers or pulleys r, on which the hose will rest as the crane moves outward and from which the hose will be picked up as the crane moves toward the reel. To automatically thus pick up the surplus hose as the crane moves toward the reel, I provide a weight 8, which is connected to a rope or cable If, extending up through pulleys u, depending from suitable beams above the reel, and then down to and around a small drum 2;, attached to the reel at the side'opposite the coupling. This counterweight s is of just sufficient weight to automatically rewind the surplus hose as the cranemarriage moves toward the reel from either end of the track, but not sufficient to exert a pull upon the carriage. The rollers or pulleys 'r are supported slightly below the line of travel of the horizontal part n of the inlet-pipe 0, so that as the carriage moves away from the reel the hose will be deposited on the rollers and be thereby prevented from unduly sagging, and when the carriage moves toward the reel the hose will be lifted ofi the rollers in succession. a roller or pulley r is journaled just above the line of travel of the hose, so that when To the left of the reel.

the carriage moves out on the track to the left of the reel the hose will engage under this pulley and be held down on the rollers 0- without impeding the free passage of the hose.

It will be observed that the swivel connection between the hose and the inlet-pipe of the crane permits the crane to move freely backward and forward under the reel without twisting the hose, and it will also be observed that by locating the reel above the track and at a point midway of the ends of the same it will be necessary to employ hose of a length simply equal to half the length of the travel of the crane.

It is obvious that my invention is not confined to compressed-air cranes, but is applicable to any apparatus where a flexible tubing may be employed to supply fluid to a movable carriage and where it is desirable that the tubing shall be automatically paid out and rewound as the carriage moves away from or toward the reel.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a traveling carriage and a track for the same, an inlet-pipe for the power fluid on the carriage, a hose and a swivel-coupling connecting the hose to said inlet-pipe, a reel journaled above the track and at a point between its ends, said hose being wound upon said reel, a stationary supply-pipe adjacent to the reel, and a swivel-coupling connecting this supply-pipe to the reel end of the hose, a drum on the reel, a cable or rope wound thereon and having a counterweight attached to its free end, devices along the track for supporting the length of hose paid from the reel.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a track, a crane running thereon and carrying a power-cylinder, a hose and means for connecting one end of it to the power-cylinder, a reel journaled above the track and at a point between its ends, the opposite end of the hose being wound upon said reel, a stationary supply-pipe, means connect ing this stationary supply-pipe with the reel end of the hose, and means connected to the reel for rewinding the hose as the carriage moves toward the reel from either end of the track.

3. In combination, a movable carriage, a supply-hose and a swivel-coupling connecting it to said carriage, an overhead reel on which the other end of the hose is wound, a supply-pipe swivelly connected to the reel end of the hose, and means for automatically rewinding the surplus hose.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a track and a carriage running thereon and carrying a power-cylinder, an overhead reel located at a point between the ends of the track, a hose having one end swivelly attached to the inlet-pipe of the power-cylinder and the other end wound upon a reel, a supply-pipe and means for swivelly connecting it to the reel end of the hose, means for normally winding up the hose, rollers or pulleys arranged along the track for supporting the hose when the carriage is in a posit-ion away from the reel, and a roller r at one side of the reel above the aforesaid rollers, for the purposes set forth.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a track, a carriage running thereon and carrying a power-cylinder, a hose and means for attaching one end of it swivelly to the inletpipe of the power-cylinder, an overhead reel having the opposite end of the hose wound upon it, a stationary supply-pipe and means for swivelly connecting it to the reel end of the hose, means for automatically winding up the hose, and a series of supporting-rollers journaled in a line along the track and below the line of movement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 25th day of September, 1902.

HENRY H. SULLINGS.

\Vitnesses:

O. R. EMLow, F. J. HoBAoK. 

